CAIT AROUND THE WORLD

March 28, 2023 — I really enjoyed the later mornings here on Fraser. We were all up shortly after seven a.m., but didn’t really have to go anywhere until nine. We got up, had coffee, got dressed, packed, had a breakfast of fry-up, then headed to the Champagne Pools.

The Champagne Pools on the island are so-named because the ocean feeds into them and leaves bubbles frothing on the surface following a crashing wave. They’re bubbly and sparkly and make for a beautiful morning swim. We had great weather — sunshine and heat — so the cool-offs were greatly appreciated.

After some time at the pools, we headed back to the cars for snack, which consisted of fresh, cold water and oranges. It’s a bit of a novelty when I get fruit, whether it’s on a tour or from the grocery store, because it’s not something I have every day.

After snack, we piled back in the cars and drove back down the beach to the Maheno Shipwreck. The Maheno has an incredible 30-year service history, starting off as a luxury steamer, built in Scotland and sold to a company in New Zealand. It travelled between Australia and New Zealand in the first year of its service, then was transferred to operate between Sydney, Brisbane, Honolulu, and Vancouver. In its first year operating between Australia and New Zealand, it broke the records between ports, notably the trans-Tasman record between Wellington and Sydney, making the trip in just three days. It returned to the trans-Tasman route after two voyages between Sydney and Vancouver. Eight years later, the steamer underwent a major refit and began serving as a hospital ship in 1914, during World War I. It was the first hospital ship for New Zealand during this time. After the war, the ship was returned to Tasman. Then, in 1935, the ship was declared outdated and was removed from service. It was abandoned and sold for scrap to a Japanese company. The Japanese company paid £15,000 for the steamer. However, in an unexpected cyclone, the towline that attached the Maheno to its towing ship, the Oonah, severed. The Maheno drifted and finally washed ashore here on K’gari. The ship couldn’t be relocated and there were no interested buyers, so the Maheno was abandoned, left to decay on the beach.

After we saw the Maheno, we continued down the beach to Eli Creek. Eli Creek is a natural freshwater lazy river that consistently renews itself and flows to a point a few hundred metres from the ocean. The water in this creek — and in several creeks around the island — is filtered by sand and is clear. The sand acts as a natural filter for the water and you can drink it! Our guide suggested taking a float down the river and having a drink from it afterward, which I did. Excellent water! After a couple of floats, the volleyball nets had been set up and I was sitting and watching everyone organize a game when someone suggested that we play car vs. car. We had a great time!

When it was time to drive back to camp we all piled back into the cars and I got to drive again. When we got back, I picked up a bottle of Coke from the island store, showered, and waited for dinner. We played cards and some drinking games and talked while we waited. Still not sure why it took so long, but dinner was certainly worth waiting for! They made a chicken stir-fry that was absolutely delicious.

I conked out fairly early, once everyone had headed down to the Rave Cave (otherwise known as the party area at our spot on the island). I put in my earplugs and went to sleep.

If you enjoyed this post, feel free to leave a like, comment, and share with your friends and family! If you’re looking for more frequent updates, follow me on Instagram @cait_around_the_world.